Highlights from Newstalk Breakfast

The Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at 12 noon on Sunday. But what impact does the day have across the city?   We heard from Gerry Farrell, Operations Director, Dublin Town.

Fuel retailers in border counties will likely face closure if the government doesn't postpone the planned increase in excise duty next month.   That’s the warning from Kevin McPartlan, Fuels for Ireland CEO who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

This morning O’ Connell Street will be lined with people dressed up as geese and ducks..  But...it’s not an early Paddy’s Day parade.  Sasha Camilli, Senior PR Coordinator with PETA explained why they are protesting this morning. 

Last night, Gardaí arrested ten men in Cork as part of a major drugs operation. To get the latest on this Shane spoke to Ralph Riegel, Southern Correspondent with the Irish Independent.

The world would look much better if we put our mates above all other relationships.  So says author Raina Cohen in her new book “The Other Significant Others”   Aoife Dunne, Teacher and Content Creator gave us her view on this.

Ireland is being threatened with a hefty fine for failing to curb turf cutting. The EU court claims Ireland is failing to protect its boglands. To discuss further Shane discussed this further with Independent Ireland TD & Chairman of the Turf and Contractors Association, Michael Fitzmaurice   and Environmental Journalist John Gibbons.

Ireland’s birth rate has dropped sharply over the past decade to reach its lowest level in over 60 years in 2022, according to new EU figures.  Are we having fewer kids because we have too much respect for parenthood? We discussed with Wendy Grace, Broadcaster and columnist.

The Government has confirmed the location of almost 2,000 beds for Ukrainian refugees across five different locations around the country.  This comes as new rules around social welfare and accommodation kick in from this morning.  To discuss further with Shane was Nick Henderson is CEO of the Irish Refugee Council and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire is a Sinn Féin TD and spokesperson on social protection.

42% of the names of babies born in Northern Ireland in 2022 are considered ‘typos’ by Microsoft. That’s according to research from a new campaign calling on tech giants to “correct autocorrect”. Cathal Wogan is a Spokesperson for “I am not a typo” campaign.

Implementing the Circular Economy - Are We on Track?  That is the theme of this year's Irish waste management conference.  Dan Cooke, President of Chartered Institution of Waste Management joined Shane on the show ahead of the conference.

Israel is using starvation as a “weapon of war.”  So said EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell at the UN Security Council  Speaking to Jonathan this morning on the show was Karol Balfe is CEO of ActionAid Ireland. 

The HSE has issued an urgent appeal to passengers on Abu Dhabi-Dublin flight following confirmed case of Measles. Anthony Staines, Professor of Health Systems at the School of Nursing and Human Sciences in DCU spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

Living Streets, a plan to create more cycle lanes and pedestrian friendly spaces in Dún Laoghaire, has been given the green light by councillors. We debate with Lorraine Hall, Fine Gael cllr for Dun Laoghaire and also Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Clark.

Arts Minister Catherine Martin will be attending the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Texas despite calls for her to boycott the event. Irish acts including Soda Blonde, Kneecap, Gavin James and Mick Flannery have pulled out of the festival citing the event's association with the US military and the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.   Soda Blonde guitarist Adam O’ Regan spoke to Shane this...

The NHS have confirmed that children will no longer receive puberty blockers, they will only be available in clinical research trials. We get reaction from Dr Donal O’Shea, Endriconologist working with the National Gender Service.  

What are your plans for this St Patrick's day? Parade? Pub? Plane? Newstalk's Sarah Madden discovers why escaping Paddy's day may be the most popular way to spend it. 

“The Government has failed adults with ADHD” - So says Sinn Fein TD Mark Ward, who was highlighting that waiting times for these services can be as long as 4 years. We asked Ken Kilbride, CEO of ADHD Ireland are services struggling at the moment? 

People Before Profit TD & Climate spokesperson, Paul Murphy has launched a bill in the Dáil that would ban the advertising of fossil fuel. He explained why to Shane this morning on the show.

President Michael D Higgins has issued a strongly worded statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. We ask this morning has President Higgins overstepped the mark with this one? We discuss with Gerard Craughwell, Independent Senator  and Maura Adbshed Professor of Politics at the University of Limerick.

The new European Media Freedom Act will not protect journalists from intrusive surveillance measures.  So says Independent MEP Clare Daly who spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

ITV presenter Jonathan Ross has been hit with backlash after he referred to Cillian Murphy as a “British star” during the 2024 Academy Awards. We asked Ian O’Doherty, Columnist with The Irish Independent  are we over sensitive with this? 

New laws to allow nightclubs to open until 6am and pubs until 2.30am will lead to more trauma and deaths on Irish roads,  that’s the warning from the Road Safety Authority.   We spoke to Dr Sheila Gilheaney, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland.

The CEO of Macra, Mick Curran has called for the taxation of holiday homes after it has been revealed that they are putting houses in scenic areas beyond the reach of locals Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard's Cork South West constituency is one of the areas most affected by holiday homes and he spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

7 in 10 fear the planned digital euro will leave consumers vulnerable to technical glitches and cybercrime according to new research by the Compliance Institute. Speaking to Shane this morning was  Paul Dwyer, CEO of Cyber Risk International. 

Europe is not prepared for the rapidly growing climate risks it faces.  So the European Environment Agency has said in its first risk assessment. Speaking to Ciara this morning was Hans-Martin Füssel is an EEA expert on climate change adaptation.